Unexpected
by Rose Unspindle
Summary: Right as Malkar is buying Felix, a stranger comes in, kidnapping Felix and Vincent and dumping them onto strange white horses, eight year old Mildmay too, finds himself suddenly on a white horse, a man telling Zephyr that he is chosen, what does it mean?
1. Chapter 1

FELIX

I watched in numb fear as the coins landed in Lorenzo's greedy paw, one by one, the clink of each coin was like the clink of a chain binding me to my new master.

I caught sight of Vincent looking out at me from one of the side rooms. We both knew full well that this was likely the last time we'd ever see each other again. I felt, well, fear, but also and overwhelming loneliness, at least with Vincent I'd had one companion.

The last coin exchanged and Malkar had my upper arm in a grip so tight and painful I was panting by the time we reached the door of the Shining Tiger, in fear, pain, and arousal. Just as Lorenzo opened the door for Malkar, there was a huge commotion outside and the door burst open. Before anyone could blink I found myself flung first over a broad shoulder for a quick and jarring trip, then flung again, this time into a saddle, my ass, which had seen some rather rough treatment, an understatement to say the least, sent shockwaves of pain up my spine as it met the hard leather of the saddle and was abruptly in motion with barely time to desperately grasp the first the saddle horn, and then as the terror of falling gripped me, the horses flowing white mane.

VINCENT

I could only stare in shock and no small amount of horrified fear, for both Felix and myself as the man snatched him straight out the door, my shock multiplied when even as Felix was being tossed out the door, another man was in front of me, snatching me up in much the same way and then out the door like a sack of potatoes, both Lorenzo and Malkar stood frozen like statues, then starting to move as I was dumped unceremoniously into a saddle and by chance looked up to see Felix's mount swiftly vanishing into the distance, and then my own horse was abruptly in motion.

I leaned forward, clutching the mane in my fingers, and the barrel of the horse with my thighs and ankles and praying again to whatever god was listening that I wouldn't fall.

MILDMAY

I sitting in Zephyr's kitchen, watching him grind up some herbs to make a poultice for my head, which I'd cracked open a bit jumping wrong off a roof and whackin' it good on the windowsill on the opposite house.

Zephyr was nice and so when it happened, I figured it was better to run to him, who might have me do a few chores for payment later, than Keeper, who'd bawl me out and might just let me bleed to death if she thought I was too stupid to live.

So Zephyr won easy, and he'd just finished packin' the mess against my head and wrapping it when the door popped open and standing in the doorway was the biggest man I'd ever seen, his face shadowed by a hood.

The man looked at Zephyr, like he was studying him, and then said, "Herald am I, he is chosen, to Valdemar, and there do I take him."

I swear Zephyr's eyes near popped out of his head and he went to the door, whatever he saw out there convinced him because he scooped me up before I could make heads or tails of the situation, hugged me tight and then out the door we went, I was confused and getting worried, and edging on being terrified. What and where was Valdemar? What did it mean when he said I was chosen?

I was just about to start fussing when I saw it, the horse was huge, well, both of them were but the one that held my attention was even bigger than the other and it was to that one Zephyr carried me. Before I could collect my wits and make a break for it, the horse turned his head and its clear blue eyes met mine.

All at once the bits of me, quite a few, that had been empty and cracked, dusty from neglect, filled with overwhelming love and joy. I laughed and stretched my arms out for the horse, no; _companion _and he leaned forward obligingly.

As I hugged him, I heard a loving voice in my head.

_'Hello Mildmay, I am Kerxe, you will never be alone or without friends again, I choose you.'_


	2. Chapter 2

Felix

I was going to die. I had never been on a horse before, let alone ridden one at a gallop all by myself and I couldn't even feel my rear end anymore, it had either gone numb or fallen off entirely several miles back, my stomach had abandoned me sooner.

Just when I thought I was going to fall and be crushed under heedless hooves, the mad pace slowed and finally stopped. I rested for a few minutes and then slowly raised my head. Astonished I looked around me, in just a few short hours we must have covered several leagues as Melusine was barely a speck on the horizon. Trees, taller that most buildings in the lower city rose up out of the ground, creating a small clearing, in the clearing was a pair of gleaming white horses, much the like the one I rode and a rather ordinary looking dapple horse. Three people stood staring at me from around the fire, one an older man, a woman who was holding an armful of wood, obviously intended for the fire and a young boy, peeking out from behind the man's leg. As I took in my surrounding three other horses and riders came into what was obviously a camp. To my utter amazement one of them was Vincent!

Before I could thing on anything else, the slightly smaller of the two riders one made his way over to me and pulled me off the saddle nearly was roughly as I'd been stuffed into it, my legs immediately gave out, earning, to my surprise, a quiet apology from my captor. He gently lifted me and carried me closer to the fire, after he had me settled a steaming cup of what could only be tea was placed in my hands and I gratefully gulped it down, weariness dulling the burn of the hot liquid.

The man who had carried me to the fire knelt down, speaking to me directly for the first time.

"Lad, I know you're tired and confused, but we have one thing we need you to do, and then you may pass out as you please." He sat back and I felt a frisson of fear, what did they want? I rolled my eyes to myself, I was a Pharohlight whore, and there was only one thing I was good for. Before I could make a move towards the man however, a soft white nose placed itself between me and him. I found myself looking up into the kindest, most loving eyes I had ever seen.

"_Hello Felix-love," a gentle voice in my head said, "I am called Bala, and I chose you." _

Vincent

After the initial shock, I fared much better than Felix, whom I could make out ahead of me, bouncing about in the saddle. I winced in sympathy, having heard his screams as Malkar 'tested out' his potential new property.

Being more aware of my surroundings I was astonished at the rate the horse I rode ran. Flying would have been a much better term really, added to the fact that the two men who had kidnapped us rode behind, not in front, so how on earth did the horse know where to go? Through the Lower City, out one of gates, which one I was to disoriented to tell, and on and on.

At long last our head long rush slowed and we came to a stop, far beyond the immediate reach of anyone from Melusine. I saw Felix being pulled from his horse, even as the larger man came to remove me from my saddle. He didn't even bother to try to put me on feet, wisely realizing that I'd never be able to keep them beneath me. Instead he carried me to the fire, where I was given a cup of tea, and wrapped in a warm blanket, across the camp fire I watched, startled, as the horse Felix had ridden came up to him, and Felix suddenly flung his arms around the creature neck, weeping like a child.

So intent was I in watching my, stall mate, that I didn't notice that my own mount had snuck up behind me until she butted me with her nose, and I turned. Her eyes caught me instantly, staring into my soul, and before I could raise walls to protect myself from her certain rejection, I was shocked to hear her voice echo into my head.

"_Never feel you must hide from me Vincent, I love you and choose you, my name is Anthy."_

Alberich

The Queen's weapons master sighed as both boys buried their faces into their Companions necks. Never had something like this happened. Three children, from a land separated so fully from Valdemar, chosen, and a place more foul Alberich had never seen. Two of the boys were obviously whores, though the way the dark haired one rode; he'd not always been such. The little one, Mildmay, whom they'd gotten the day before was a thief. Alberich allowed a brief smile to how in his eyes. Cowed though the child was now, he had no doubt that the boy would be carrying on Skif's legacy as primary trouble maker at the Collegium. Thinking of the rascal, Alberich dicded that Mildmay would do best put in the older boys care, at all of ten years-old he was younger than most Trainees and Skif would be good as both mentor and protector.

Ah well, all three boys seemed to be settling into their bonds, the older boys now curled up to the sides of their Companions like foals, while Mildmay clung alternately to Kerxe and the old man Zephyr, who seemed the closet Mildmay had had to a true care-taker.

Eye the quiet camp Alberich, sighed. What did these three represent, why were they Chosen? What troubles did the future hold that these three were the answer to? The weapons master settled himself in for a long night.


End file.
